Sandra Mangan, Author at Blackpool Social Club

07 Oct

Making light work of poetry competition

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitions

It's usually theatrical types who long to see their name in lights, but it obviously applies to poets too. Forget those images of tortured souls sitting in a dark garret, suffering for their art - today's rhymesters are a whole new breed, if the response to Wordpool's first National Poetry Competition is anything to go by. More than 100 entered - obviously excited by the thought of seeing their work take centre stage in Blackpool's Illuminations. And as long as they took 'light' as their theme, the sky was the limit. Which certainly applied to the winning entry by Sarah…

26 Sep

PREVIEW: Rhyme with a reason on National Poetry Day

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitions

Next Thursday is National Poetry Day, and Blackpool Central Library is hosting a number of events under the Wordpool banner. First up is a poetry workshop, entitled Always in My Heart and hosted by altBlackpool's own David Riley and Vicky Ellis. Would-be poets will take their inspiration from the memorial plaques on benches in Stanley Park. David explained: "The memorial benches have very different inscriptions and are obviously something deeply felt for many people. They inspired one of my first poems to be published a few years ago and can be a way into memories of all sorts. "It is these memories…

23 Sep

Let your imagination take flight

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsLocal News

Feeling batty? Think design is for the birds? Then it's time to let your imagination run wild! LeftCoast and Wyre Council are looking for amazing designs for a bird or bat box - and if yours is the winner, it will be made and permanently installed in Memorial Park in Fleetwood. The competition is open to all ages and there's even a special category for architects and design professionals! To help you to think outside the box and create a winning design, LeftCoast are holding free drop-in sessions with designer Tim Denton. At the workshops you’ll learn about the things you…

19 Sep

Walking through history

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsLocal News, Theatre, Dance & Performance

I suppose most people visit Blackpool for its beaches, Illuminations, Pleasure Beach and boozers. I know that before I moved here a couple of years ago, I associated the town with the Tower and little else. But there is so much more to the place, and a check on the calendar reminded me that it was Heritage Open Days weekend - what better time to find out more? I determined to grasp the nettle and further my unending quest to see another side to the place I now call home, so I wended my way townwards and joined the queue…

18 Sep

Review: Joe Brown at the Grand

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsMusic & Gigs

I'll admit to having been aware of Joe Brown since childhood. With his bottlebrush hair and chirpy Cockney persona, he was well known for singing quirky little songs, accompanied on his ukelele. After seeing Joe at the Grand, I realise I'm wrong on so many counts. Yes, the spiky hairdo is still there (and the subject of much banter among his band members) but it wasn't until I looked at his website that I realised Joe was actually born in Lincolnshire. And his music? This guy is a maestro and his band are all virtuoso musicians too. From the off,…

17 Sep

Apply for new studios in the art of town

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsColumns & Opinion, Visual Arts & Exhibitions

The search is on for artists to fill a new studios complex in the heart of Blackpool town centre. Abingdon Studios is a creative initiative from LeftCoast and Blackpool Council, which aims to provide new and affordable studio space. Situated above Abingdon Street Market, the space will be artist run and will encourage them to collaborate with each other and develop new work. The studios will initially host six artists - and an open space on the upper floor will be developed for exhibitions and provide opportunities for artists to share their work with the surrounding communities. The spaces are priced…

16 Sep

Review: West End Experience

Sandra Mangan5 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

These days, many theatres in London's West End are pulling in the audiences with so-called 'jukebox musicals' - think Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You and Jersey Boys and you'll know what I mean. West End Experience offered something else entirely, a musicals jukebox is probably the best description I can come up with. Given that the show was on at the Grand on the same night that the aforementioned Mamma Mia was ending its summer-long run at the Opera House, there was a good sized crowd ready to be transported on a musical journey which began with Another Openin',…

13 Sep

Readers could be on to a winner

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsLocal News

Love reading? Up for a competition or two? Then Waterstones in Blackpool has it covered! The store on Bank Hey Street, just behind the tower, is running two great competitions which are sure to appeal to book lovers. First up is the chance to win a pair of tickets to see 1984 at the Grand Theatre – and you’ve got two ways to win. Pop into store, answer a simple question and fill in an entry slip and you could be the winner of a pair of tickets and a limited edition Penguin Classics copy of the George Orwell novel.…

10 Sep

Preview: Joe Brown is back in town

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsMusic & Gigs

Some of you will never have heard of Joe Brown - though if you're of a certain age you'll remember his daughter, Sam, who had chart success with the song Stop in 1989. Back to her Dad, however, a spikey haired strummer who has been performing since the late 1950s and will be appearing at Blackpool's Grand Theatre on Monday night. It's a rescheduling of a date booked for earlier in the year, and promises to be a great night for music fans of all generations. Joe started his first band at the age of 17, back in 1958. Three…

04 Sep

Feature: Pulling out the stops for labour of love

Sandra Mangan0 CommentsMusic & Gigs

As photographer Claire and I began to climb high into the roofspace of the Winter Gardens, I seriously began to regret wearing white trousers. But these guys were insistent – and their obvious enthusiasm put thoughts of a boil wash to the back of my mind. Regardless of the dusty atmosphere, we both stood and gaped. We were truly up in the gods, in a place where heavenly music will soon be made. Because the assortment of pipes; tall, short, wide and thin, that were arrayed before us are capable of creating magical music. It may be more than forty…